When people ask me how I made it through college, I have a variety of answers. I tell them it was through God's providence and my amazing support system and that I wouldn't have made it without my friends. I then laughingly add, "Oh and I'm just really stubborn."

I'm not kidding when I say I'm stubborn. It's a constant mindset that drives me each and every day.

However, although the definition of stubborn is in accordance with my usage, it is stark contrast to the traditional sense of the word. See according to Dictionary.com, stubborn (adj.) is defined as "fixed or set in purpose or opinion; resolute." And by this definition, I am most definitely stubborn. But when the word is used, it is often used in sentences such as, "he is so stubborn, he never listens to anyone!"

When I say I'm stubborn, I am not referencing my inability to listen to others, but rather, I am referring to the decision to never give up on the things that are important to me. College was rough for me. Along with my 4 surgeries, I had numerous other health issues. But I made up my mind early on in my disease, that I wouldn't let me disease effect my grades and academic performance. I made the choice to be stubborn.

Graduation Day at Hanover College

I decided that my college career would be focused almost exclusively on my academics. As much as I wanted to join clubs and organization and run for office, I just didn't have the stamina. I had to choose what was important to me. Being successful at school was not dependent on my physical stamina, but rather my mental ability and of course my stubbornness. Therefore, achieving academic excellence was something I could actually do.

It definitely helps that I love to learn, but at the end of the day, it was my decision to be stubborn that allowed me to succeed in college.

Even though I didn't always succeed in the way I had planned, I am genuinely thrilled to have graduated Hanover college Summa Cum Laude and at the top of my class. My journey was not easy and I had plenty of roadblocks and trials along the way, but in the end, I have chosen to be stubborn about the things I care about in my not so normal life.

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I've got 8 scars and am missing two feet of intestines and my life isn't normal, but whose life is normal? I want to use my experiences to help you, even if it means sharing embarrassing experiences. I am also looking to break the stigmas associated with IBD in order to make living with IBD just a little bit easier. Hope you enjoy!